Amaravati Sunday Talk, Aug. 24, 2025
Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in Hertfordshire, England
14 excerpts, 37:30 total duration
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Readings, reflections, and Q&A about the changing nature of all conditions.
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[Session] Readings: AN 7.48.10: Saññā Sutta; SN 35.82: Loka; Ud 4.1: Meghiya; AN 1.136: Uppādā Sutta; SN 15.20: Mount Vepulla.
1. [11:32] Quote: “Whatever speech doesn’t take into account the reality of impermanence is not the speech of wise person.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Right Speech] [Discernment]
2. [22:03] Reflection: The sign of spiritual maturity is the inclination to disenchantment and relinquishment. [Meditation/Results] [Disenchantment] [Relinquishment] // [Ajahn Chah]
3. [28:59] When asked why there are thieves in Thailand, Ajahn Chah replies, “The Buddha didn’t tell them to do that. They do that themselves.” [Ajahn Chah] [Culture/Thailand] [Buddhist identity] [Stealing]
4. [33:14.5] The perception of impermanence should be cultivated for the removal of the conceit “I am.” [Conceit] // [Self-identity view] [Relinquishment] [Nibbāna] [Cessation of Suffering]
Quote: “Being right doesn’t lead one to freedom from suffering. Oftentimes it just makes you a pain in the butt.” [Views]
Sutta: Ud 4.1.21: Meghiya Sutta.
Sutta: AN 10.60.10: “This is peaceful, this is sublime...”
5. [37:27.5] Reflection: If you see the steadfastness and orderliness of the Dhamma, of the truth, it can free the heart. [Lawfulness] [Naturalness] [Liberation] // [Pāli]
6. [41:20] Quote: “No cracks, no Buddhism.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Stupas/monuments] // [Recollection/Dhamma]
7. [51:04] Reflection: Absorbing the truth, “Even the Sāsana will pass away,” doesn’t lead to a sense of dismay; it leads to wonder and the motivation, “How can I help others?” [Truth ] [Spiritual urgency] [Compassion] [Suffering] [Characteristics of existence]
Recollection: Ajahn Chah saw so clearly and was incredibly compassionate. [Ajahn Chah] [Fierce/direct teaching]
Quote: “What is the mind of an arahant like?” – “Only compassion.” — Ajahn Mahā Boowa. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Ajahn Mun]
Quote: “Anicca, dukkha, and anattā are tools we rely on for transforming the heart.”
8. [55:33] “I am’ and ego are very deeply embedded in our consciousness. You mentioned that observing impermanence could help. Are there any other practical steps we can take every day to dismantle ego and ‘I am?’” [Self-identity view] // [Suffering] [Relinquishment] [Not-self]
Sutta: Ud 3.10: “For however one conceives it, it is always other than that.”
9. [59:08] “If nothing is permanent, does that apply to the mind?” [Nature of mind] // [Knowing itself] [Liberation]
Sutta: SN 12.61: You’d be better off taking the body as self.
10. [1:00:56] “Is liberation impermanent?” [Liberation ] // [Nibbāna]
11. [1:02:17.5] “Is Nibbāna unconditioned? Can Nibbāna make a connection with you, or do you have to go to Nibbāna?” [Nibbāna] [Unconditioned ] // [Characteristics of existence]
Sutta: Ud 8.3: Nibbāna Sutta (Chanting Book translation).
Quote: “The place where there’s no coming, no going, no standing still. What’s that?” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah]
12. [1:03:49] “You mentioned that Ajahn Mahā Boowa has been a bit coarse with his disciples. Has your voice always been soft and kind and loving?” [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Compassion]
Quote: “Well, I hope I’ve gotten better....The early years of being the abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat, I was pretty insufferable.” [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Abbot]
13. [1:14:43] “Could you talk about what to do with disenchantment? You may feel that you’re being lazy by not engaging with the world....” [Disenchantment] [Seclusion] // [Spiritual friendship] [Amaravati] [Abhayagiri] [Dhamma online]
Sutta: SN 45.2: Half of the Holy Life.
14. [1:22:52] “I am interested to hear more about the qualities of wholeheartedness. You mentioned that the English language does not have a word that captures it. There’s something that can go from non-attachment/dispassion to apathy, which is not helpful in the world.” [Language] [Relinquishment] [Dispassion] [Sloth and torpor] // [Disenchantment] [Skillful qualities] [Pāli] [Conditionality] [Abhidhamma]
Suttas: Suttas: AN 6.10, AN 10.2: The cascade of well being.